An A-10 dipped down over one boat that had scattered away from the rest of the fleet.

“Heh, heh. He’s a goner,” cackled Jim Westbrook, from aboard the Passing Time, a charter boat floating near the Mid-Bay Bridge on Wednesday afternoon.

Westbrook was one of about 30 civilian boat captains hired to participate in a major Air Force weapons exercise this week. He was clearly enjoying the experience.

This is only the second year the Air Force’s 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron has been able to organize a water exercise of this scope, using civilian boats to form a high-speed fleet to serve as mock targets for aircraft flying overhead. The last day of the exercise is set for Thursday afternoon.

This week, A-10s from Arizona, F-15s from Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City and even B-1 bombers from South Dakota have staged attacks against the Destin fleet in Choctawhatchee Bay.

It’s quite a sight.

On Wednesday, boats were armed with mock rocket launchers, machine guns, AK-47s and shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. They zoomed through the bay at speeds between 30 and 50 mph between the Mid-Bay and Clyde B. Wells bridges.

Four A-10s circled overhead, dropping as low as 500 feet to lock in on the boats and drop simulated bombs.

A voice over the radio: “Red 1, Red 1, Red 1. You’re dead.”

Then: “Yellow squadron: Jink. Jink. Jink.”

The boats took sharp angles away from each other and sped off in different directions.

They were not often a match for the fighters, though.

Eric Westbrook, Jim’s son who captained another boat during an exercise Tuesday, said the capability of the fighters is impressive.

“When they’re coming on top of you, you don’t even hear them until they’re gone,” he said. “It’s crazy.”

The talent and resources of the Destin-area charter boat fleet make the exercise possible and provide valuable training for pilots and other personnel, said Dennis Beabout, who oversees water range operations for Eglin Air Force Base, where the 86th squadron is located.

Training to fight against the threat of a maritime swarm attack is a Department of Defense priority, he said. Countries in the Middle East and other parts of the world have that capability.

Prior to last year’s exercise, the squadron did not have a swarm of boats they could fly against.

“This is a big plus for the squadron,” Beabout said. “They are able to test the effectiveness of their weapons and shape and develop tactics.”

It also helps employ charter boat captains and crews in the winter months, which can be slow for tourism business.

“It’s putting money into the local economy,” Beabout said.

Officials started planning the exercise more than six months ago and at least 1,000 people were involved in its execution, said Lt. Col. Scott Logan, commander of the 86th Squadron.

“It’s a pretty large event,” he said. “It couldn’t be done without everyone involved. We want to make sure we continue to have that great relationship with the host community and the base.”

An A-10 dipped down over one boat that had scattered away from the rest of the fleet.

“Heh, heh. He’s a goner,” cackled Jim Westbrook, from aboard the Passing Time, a charter boat floating near the Mid-Bay Bridge on Wednesday afternoon.

Westbrook was one of about 30 civilian boat captains hired to participate in a major Air Force weapons exercise this week. He was clearly enjoying the experience.

This is only the second year the Air Force’s 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron has been able to organize a water exercise of this scope, using civilian boats to form a high-speed fleet to serve as mock targets for aircraft flying overhead. The last day of the exercise is set for Thursday afternoon.

This week, A-10s from Arizona, F-15s from Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City and even B-1 bombers from South Dakota have staged attacks against the Destin fleet in Choctawhatchee Bay.

It’s quite a sight.

On Wednesday, boats were armed with mock rocket launchers, machine guns, AK-47s and shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. They zoomed through the bay at speeds between 30 and 50 mph between the Mid-Bay and Clyde B. Wells bridges.

Four A-10s circled overhead, dropping as low as 500 feet to lock in on the boats and drop simulated bombs.

A voice over the radio: “Red 1, Red 1, Red 1. You’re dead.”

Then: “Yellow squadron: Jink. Jink. Jink.”

The boats took sharp angles away from each other and sped off in different directions.

They were not often a match for the fighters, though.

Eric Westbrook, Jim’s son who captained another boat during an exercise Tuesday, said the capability of the fighters is impressive.

“When they’re coming on top of you, you don’t even hear them until they’re gone,” he said. “It’s crazy.”

The talent and resources of the Destin-area charter boat fleet make the exercise possible and provide valuable training for pilots and other personnel, said Dennis Beabout, who oversees water range operations for Eglin Air Force Base, where the 86th squadron is located.

Training to fight against the threat of a maritime swarm attack is a Department of Defense priority, he said. Countries in the Middle East and other parts of the world have that capability.

Prior to last year’s exercise, the squadron did not have a swarm of boats they could fly against.

“This is a big plus for the squadron,” Beabout said. “They are able to test the effectiveness of their weapons and shape and develop tactics.”

It also helps employ charter boat captains and crews in the winter months, which can be slow for tourism business.

“It’s putting money into the local economy,” Beabout said.

Officials started planning the exercise more than six months ago and at least 1,000 people were involved in its execution, said Lt. Col. Scott Logan, commander of the 86th Squadron.

“It’s a pretty large event,” he said. “It couldn’t be done without everyone involved. We want to make sure we continue to have that great relationship with the host community and the base.”